Premier Li Keqiang and his Russian counterpart, Mikhail Mishustin, co-chaired the 25th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government via video link on Dec 2.

Vice-Premier Han Zheng, Chinese head of the China-Russia Investment Cooperation Committee and the China-Russia Energy Cooperation Committee, also attended the meeting.

Premier Li said China and Russia, being each other's biggest neighbor, always respect each other, and adhere to the policy of good-neighborly and friendly policy for mutual benefit.

Facing the impact of COVID-19, China and Russia have jointly combated the epidemic and promoted social and economic development, said the Premier.

This year, President Xi Jinping held many phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which guided the sustainable and high-level development of the relationship between the two nations.

Against the backdrop of a severe global economic recession and trade and investment downturn, China-Russia cooperation, instead of slowing down, has seen new progress in many fields.

The two countries have seen closer trade relations, promoted new business models such as cross-border e-commerce, pushed ahead major strategic projects such as energy, and made new achievements in the Far East and local cooperation, which fully demonstrated strong complementarity and huge potential in bilateral cooperation, Premier Li said.

He added that China is willing to work with Russia, to accumulate experiences in cooperation and inject new impetus into the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Premier Li and Mishustin heard work reports from Han, Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan, who is also the Chinese head of the people-to-people exchanges committee, and Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua, the Chinese head of the China-Russia prime ministers' regular meeting committee and the Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation of Northeast China and the Far East and Baikal Region of Russia, and the heads of the Russian side, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, Russian Deputy Prime Ministers Tatyana Golikova, Alexander Novak, Yury Trutnev, and Dmitry Chernyshenko.

The two leaders praised their work and the good momentum of development in cooperation in each level and field.

Premier Li said China and Russia have made joint efforts to maintain international order with the United Nations at the core, and safeguard multilateralism and free trade, which are conducive to both sides and the world.

The Chinese side is ready to enhance dovetailing the Belt and Road construction with Russia's development strategy, consolidate the foundation of traditional cooperation fields, and make new breakthroughs in cooperation in economy and trade, energy, and agriculture, to continuously promote their cooperation, he said.

They will forge and open new fields of cooperation, and accelerate cooperation in joint manufacturing, peaceful use of nuclear energy, digital economy, and small and medium-sized enterprises, Premier Li said.

The two countries will continue to enhance people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation in education, youth, tourism, and the Winter Olympics, to consolidate the public basis for their friendship.

While talking about China's current economic situation, Premier Li said that China is the largest developing nation with a huge growing market.

He said China is willing to share development opportunities with Russia, expand mutual opening up, deepen win-win cooperation, and promote more progress in various sectors.

Mishustin said China and Russia should support each other through the impact of COVID-19, and the efficient operation of each mechanism, dialogues in each field and cooperation between the two countries demonstrate the high-level comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination.

He expressed his willingness to work with China in the fight against COVID-19 and research of the vaccine and drugs, and bring bilateral trade and investment back to normal growth as soon as possible.

The two sides should promote cooperation in industry, agriculture, transportation, energy, and infrastructure, and explore new growth potential in the digital economy, he said.

He also congratulated China on Chang'e-5's successful landing on the moon, and said Russia is willing to promote aerospace cooperation between the two nations.

Russia, he said, will make full preparations for the Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation, and enhance its cooperation with China in basic and applied science.

He added that Russia will deepen cultural exchanges with China, enhance local cooperation, strengthen strategic coordination within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and promote bilateral relations to new heights.

Premier Li and Mishustin announced the Joint Communiqué of the 25th China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting and cooperation documents in finance, customs, and intellectual property rights.

He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, also attended the meeting.